Spiritual love is another indica tion of our growth in grace. This is perhaps maturity's highest mani festation (I John 4:18). Christ's per fection was revealed in the fullness of His love (John 3:16). We must live the life of love if we are to be considered spiritually mature be lievers. We must love Christ, love others, and love our privilege and responsibility to serve the Saviour. In Philippians 3:10,11 we really have the "heartbeat" of the entire epistle. It was Paul's desire to fully know the power of the resurrec tion of Jesus Christ, the fellowship of His sufferings, being made con formable unto His death. To sum marize, the Apostle was concerned about his own spiritual maturity. He sets an important pattern which we would do well to emulate. Are we willing to allow the presence of the Lord to permeate every as pect of our lives each day? There are many misguided peo ple who equate happiness with true spiritual joy and contentment. The two are not the same. The for mer is merely superficial and al ways depends on outward circum stances. There are those childish individuals who would rather be selfishly happy than obedient. Such is always a mark of an im mature believer. One who is grow ing in Christ's grace finds his joy in serving other people. Jesus Him self is the outstanding example of this fact. The Son of Man came not to be ministered unto, but to min ister, and to give His life a ransom for many. We should learn to ac cept the discipline and chastening of the Lord which He allows to come for our good. This is what "the joy of the Lord" is all about. Page 35
unto, but to minister, and to give his life a ransom for many" (Mark 10:45). His preference was for serving. As an example, a child en joys having everybody shower at tention on him. Rarely does he, in his immaturity, think of serving anyone else, unless he is prompted or pressured into doing so. In spir itual maturity, Christ-likeness, we are to give the attention and ser vice to others. Another mark of spiritual matur ity is seen in the individual who has a happy and joyful disposition. It is a privilege to be around some one like that. The very gloom of a person is an evidence of inner conflict. Unfortunately, there has arisen in many churches a pious, legalistic and morose attitude in serving Christ. The Saviour was certainly joyful and bequeathed His peace to His disciples. A joy ous personality is always contag ious. Is this the type of person you are? Spiritual maturity is evidenced through a life of bearing spiritual fruit. One whose stature is pat terned after the Lord always repro duces in fruit through the lives of others. A grain of wheat, Jesus ex plained, falls into the ground to die only that it may bring forth much fruit. Only the mature be liever is willing to fall into the ground, symbolically, and die. Furthermore, one who presses on in spiritual maturity accepts, rather than tries to avoid, the dis cipline and chastening of the Lord. While he may not necessarily en joy this, he knows what the ulti mate result will be. He is willing to adapt himself to Cod's will. Paul had learned to be content no matter the adverse circumstances.
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